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Sustainability in Developing Communities (MULT10013)
Undergraduate level 1Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Prof David Shallcross
Email: dcshal@unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
AIMS
The volunteer organisation Engineers Without Borders (EWB) seeks involvement of teams of first-year students in a ‘challenge’ to devise solutions for real problems in under-developed communities. In this subject you will work in teams to develop conceptual solutions for sustainable development projects identified by EWB's community partners that contribute towards real international development projects.
From each of the diverse and practical projects offered by the EWB, you will have the opportunity to choose from a range of problems. Each of these problems will require you to develop new technical and communication skills, whilst encouraging innovation and creativity in order to address the needs of the overall project.
The four best team proposals will be submitted for external judging. The national winning proposal is used in discussions with that local community to develop practical solutions to the challenges of poverty, and improve the quality of lives from a social, environmental and economic perspective.
(See: http://www.ewbchallenge.org)
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Topics covered include sustainability, community development, teamwork and reflective practice. Processes include reflective writing, teamwork, and proposal development.
Intended learning outcomes
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILO)
On completion of this subject the student should be able to demonstrate:
- The use of a systems approach to problem solving that considers the appropriateness of any solution to the problem context
- The ability to apply knowledge and concepts drawn from various disciplines to the cultural setting and develop innovative solutions to the problem
- Skills in integrating sustainable development, problem context and ethical considerations into the decision making process
- The ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution whilst considering the specific context of the problem
- The ability to evaluate the environmental benefits and impacts of a solution against other decision drivers to find the optimal solution
- Recognition of the need for community development / engagement principles to be applied to inform the development of potential solutions, the decision-making processes and the implementation and understanding of the key principle that the positive values of a proposal must be greater than the costs to the community
- Awareness of the implications of the physical context of the site i.e. geographic location and environmental factors
- The ability to communicate effectively, not only with other professionals but also with the community at large, through written, oral and visual media.
Generic skills
At the end of this subject you should have developed:
- The ability to work in teams
- To engage with complex real world problems in under-developed communities and arrive at culturally sensitive and sustainable solutions
- Ability to integrate knowledge across and between disciplines in order to achieve the desired outcomes of the project
- Understanding of social and cultural diversity – including Indigenous cultures; valuing different cultures
- Global citizenship skills by advocating for improving the sustainability of the environment.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Assessment
Additional details
1. Reflective journal (30%). This includes:
- a weekly reflective journal entry requiring 1-2 hours of work per week (10-13 hours in total) (10%)
- a meta-review of reflective journal writing, due in week 7 and requiring -5 -7 hours hours of work (5%)
- a meta-review of reflective journal writing, due in week 14 and requiring 15-20 hours of work (15%)
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 1 to 8 are all addressed in the reflective journal.
2. Active participation (20%). This includes:
- Class attendance and participation in seminar/workshop processes in weeks 1-12, including contribution to the wiki (each team will have a wiki).
ILOs 1 to 8 are addressed through active participation in classes.
3. Design option due around week 9 requiring 10-13 hours of work (10%). This individual submission with form part of the team Final Report.
4. Final Proposal (40%): One team-based assignment due in week 14, with each team member committing 40-50 hours of work over the semester. The Final Proposal builds integrates the work over the semester and includes the design option of each team member. Each team to have between 3-5 team members. The mark for the Final Report will be adjusted for each team member based on peer review (PRAZE).
ILOs 1 to 8 are all addressed in the final proposal.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator David Shallcross Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 5 hours of seminars/workshops per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 24 July 2017 to 22 October 2017 Last self-enrol date 4 August 2017 Census date 31 August 2017 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 September 2017 Assessment period ends 17 November 2017 Semester 2 contact information
Prof David Shallcross
Email: dcshal@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
None
Recommended texts and other resources
None
- Subject notes
LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS
This is a project-based design subject. A series of multidisciplinary lectures address sustainability and community development. Students work in small teams to complete a proposal for the EWB Challenge. Students are expected to attend all classes and to keep a weekly reflective journal.
INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES
Students will have access to lecture notes and lecture slides and to all resources developed by the EWB Challenge. The subject LMS site also contains a range of resources about the design process, reflective practice, teamwork, and community development.
CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS
Engineers Without Borders.
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 27 April 2024